Category: Ecuador/Peru

Yesterday morning I took a walk to the beach…u all had already landed in San Salvador and undoubtedly were probably in the skies once again…

 The beach was empty and I climbed on rocks, found a little nook and sat down to meditate–immediately I thought of this service vacation that I was originally signed up for until this last October. until  I realized i couldn’t go this time around. I realize I’m in the place I need to be, but I couldn’t help but shed some tears…knowing that indeed there are some very poignant special times that you would all be experiencing, and I temporarily felt at a loss…like how do I adequately celebrate holidays this year—so used to going to South africa, India with BTC Family.

 I got up later and walked toward the streets and this song played next in the shuffle…from Ipod:

Beautiful Day by U2

It’s a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
It’s a beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I’m not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It was a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
Beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I’m not a hopeless case

What you don’t have you don’t need it now
What you don’t know you can feel it somehow
What you don’t have you don’t need it now
Don’t need it now
Was a beautiful day

 The song made me think of how happy i am for all of you with this huge endeavor of compassion you’re embarking on :) And how you’ll be landing in another beautiful world…next stop-Ecuador!

 Hugs and smiles across the seas to u!

All 16 of us arrived in San Salvador a few hours ago.  The four hour flight passed by without incident.  Some of the travelers have gone out of the airport to check out the town while the others are staying at the terminal to rest.  I’ve found a nice place to surf the web :)

Leaving LAX airport was great.  When we arrived at the airport we were greeted with a welcome committee: a group of volunteers that weren’t traveling with us but wanted to wish us well.  Each one of us travelers was handed a goodie bag which contained a water bottle with a personalized quote, a pita sandwich, homemade chocolate, and some candy canes that we could give away in South America (I already gave one away to a child next to me on the plane).  In addition, the welcome committee created a going away booklet which contained messages from some of our friends wishing us well.

Thank you for the warm send-off.  We keep you in our hearts as we travel forward.

More on San Salvador:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Salvador